Brand managers talk through the ambitions, approach and results of their joint experiential activity
Connecting with a new set of Gen Z female consumers in the gaming community proved the catalyst for beauty brand, Maybelline, to team up with Logitech G on a new experiential activation in Sydney.
Maybelline New York and gaming peripherals brand, Logitech G, debuted a social gaming experience this month to coincide with the launch of the new Logitech G Aurora collection and brand theme, ‘A new age of play’. The experiential pop-up space appeared in Sydney suburb, Surry Hills, and consisted of four days of activity from 8-11 September.
Those who booked into the experience were offered express makeovers, snacks and an hour of gaming on PC and console games. Guests were also given a goodie bag on departure created by partner, Yes You Can drinks.
According to the two companies, the activation booked out in two hours and had to be extended an extra day to accommodate a growing wait list. In all, 128 booked guests were welcomed along with walk-ins over the four-day stint.
On hand were a number of Logitech G ambassadors and figures in the gaming industry including Stephanie Benidixen, Grace Short and Fasffy. The influencers are also perceived to be spearheading a new direction of inclusive and positive gameplay. Fasffy is an ambassador for both Maybelline and Logitech G.
To support the activation, the companies also invested in an out-of-home advertising campaign, with digital billboards placed throughout the Sydney CBD.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better response to the launch of our first pop-up space for Logitech G and our partnership with Maybelline New York was important as they had already made positive moves in the gaming industry, working with one of our current ambassadors, Fasffy,” said Logitech G A/NZ senior category portfolio manager, Daniel Hall. “The physical activation enabled us to display our commitment to 'Play for All' and the radical design moves the brand has made with creating product for gender inclusivity. It’s an exciting time for us and we are proud of this activation and what it represents.”
Maybelline New York brand engagement manager, Liz Odey, told CMO the brand wanted to connect with a new generation of Gen Z female consumers.
“We strive to be on the pulse of emerging trends – whether that be in beauty, content or tech. Gaming is the new frontier for our community and we’re thrilled to be able to connect and inspire through makeup,” she said. “The Logitech partnership was a particularly special opportunity for Maybelline as we saw a chance to inspire young women and celebrate their individuality both on and off stream.”
With live streaming such a visual platform and makeup a key element in the gaming aesthetic, Maybelline said it made sense to connect with the gaming community and its star streamers.
“By strengthening our partnership with star gamer Fasffy and collaborating with innovative brands like Logitech, Maybelline can continue to build brand trust and generate an authentic community within this new and exciting,” Odey said.
As to measures of success, Logitech said initial evaluation was done around the bookings then show ups, which proved 100 per cent successful.
“We will however be evaluating the entire campaign, from overall reach and engagement to campaign sentiment, along with initial sales in comparison to similar launches within the social gaming space,” Hall told CMO.
The target audience was also reflected in the age demographic of visitors - 18-30-year-olds. A surprise was the number of men who attended the event.
“We anticipated a mostly female guest list, which was much more balanced male/female. This shows that the collection has achieved its goal of being a gender inclusive range,” Hall said.
A learning for Hall was around the retail scope the activation could have had if positioned correctly and open for longer.
“We weren't selling any product during the activation, however we certainly could have, as many people were enquiring to buy,” Hall said. “If budget allowed, we could have opened the store for a week, as each release of new booking times were taken up within a couple of hours.
“There was popular demand to run similar pop-ups in other major cities around Australia and New Zealand. There is an opportunity to run something similar and include products designed for younger games.”
UMM was the creative agency involved in the work. Its joint managing director, Nikki Stevens, said the creative brief was creating an activation that embodied the global marketing direction but would be embraced by the local gaming community.
“We wanted to surprise and delight, going against what can be a one-size-fits all interpretation of what gamers want to experience,” she said. “With the help of our incredibly talented stylist and caterer, Kate White of Katering, we went all out with the design and the reaction was beyond expectations. Every day of the pop-up the atmosphere was one of joy and positivity and the social media coverage continues to flow from guests the following week.”
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